EP.257 The Nation of Steel and the Faceless Humans - 6
"You came earlier than I expected. I wanted to finish before you arrived."
I meant it. Originally, I planned to finish all preparations before they arrived and greet them.
I successfully infiltrated by breaking through the outer wall. Since I had already scouted inside with telepathy and knew no one was there, my movements were unhindered.
Having infiltrated the empty control room like that, I soon encountered a huge problem.
I couldn't tell what was what.
With no one whose mind I could read, even looking at the numerous machines before me, I couldn't understand their structure.
Damn telepathy. Telepathy really can only read people's minds. If it can read human minds, why can't it read these mere machines?
I looked around for someone who could help, but here, the Princess was equally useless. I considered using Aji and Nabi for indiscriminate destruction, but that was a last resort.
With no other choice, I waited for 'Carapald'. If he arrived here, I could read his thoughts and find out what the annihilation device was.
And 'Carapald' arrived.
"You said you couldn't hold on, so why did you come back?"
"I was worried that perhaps you all might not reach a conclusion on what to do with the refinery. Shei, you still haven't decided, right?"
Hit right on the mark, the regressor flinched. I openly clicked my tongue.
Shameful, so shameful. Even if 'Carapald' was pulling the strings from behind, how could you actually let yourself be manipulated. With this, can you even call yourself a regressor?
"...Y-yeah. But it's almost done. Just wait a bit and I can resolve everything."
"Well, it's fine. That's why I came."
With my hands behind my back, I walked slowly across the control room. While everyone hesitated to approach due to the unfamiliar atmosphere, I quickly read 'Carapald's' thoughts.
'This is the worst. The stage has slipped from my hands. The flow has shifted to the other side.'
'Carapald's' way of dealing with the unfamiliar flow was to erase his presence with cliché reactions and ride the flow.
That was partly because... if he forcefully made his presence known, we would suspect him, but that wasn't all.
He was a born actor and director. A well-crafted stage sometimes inevitably escapes its creator's hands. As a born actor, he felt an instinctive aversion to interfering with the moment when a play attempted to transcend its script.
Gwabyeong was like that, and Yeonggwi too. These Six Generals are all abnormal. How did the Military Nation gather such freaks?
Anyway. Thanks to that, I bought time. As long as this flow doesn't end, meaning as long as my dialogue remains meaningful, he'll keep watching, right?
Alright. I'll take it.
I slowly moved my feet and spoke while lightly resting my hand on a towering steel bar.
"Shei has earth-shattering power. Even without borrowing the power of the annihilation device, you could easily kill everyone here. If you just wield Cheonang and Jijan, you could bury this entire building underground."
"I won't do such a thing!"
"Yes. I know. Because Shei can do that, you're actually skeptical about killing them. Whether using the device or using your power, it ultimately comes down to your resolve. Once you cross the line, you fear you'll keep crossing it without any hesitation."
Historia flinched at those words. Because, to some extent, she understood the regressor's feelings.
I don't know about the fact that the regressor regresses, but anyway, literally earth-shattering power sleeps in her two hands. What if a regressor who has crossed the line uses that power recklessly? What if she doesn't consider the consequences at all?
A horrific slaughter that would leave a mark in history books would occur.
"It's a precious sense of justice that's slightly inconvenient to have, but once discarded, can never be regained. To be honest, I think what Shei has is truly precious."
By the way, isn't this steel bar the annihilation device? I grabbed it with my hand, but 'Carapald' isn't showing any reaction.
That persona. It's slightly annoying to read. It feels like reading a book full of malicious narrative tricks.
Anyway, this doesn't seem to be the annihilation device. I continued with perfunctory words and moved to where a lever with a red handle was located.
"But Shei, Lia's position is different now. Lia has already crossed the line. Having grown up in the Military Nation and seized power and authority in the Military Nation, Lia has now given up everything she gained there and chosen to side with us."
I naturally rested my hand on the red handle and continued speaking.
"Lia is one of the Military Nation's Six Generals. She desperately honed her talents to reach that position. But the reason Lia became a General wasn't to serve the Military Nation."
"Huey. Stop..."
Hey, don't interrupt. If my dialogue gets cut off, 'Carapald' might return to Sieghrund.
I raised my voice even higher to drown out Historia's words.
"Friends who went astray. Comrades who once lived and died together. The children of Hameln who were abandoned by the Military Nation and threw themselves into the Resistance. Even me, whose life or death is unknown. There's no place for us in the Military Nation. That's why Lia became a General. Only by reaching General rank can you appoint adjutants."
"You..."
"But because every single friend was so willful, Lia ended up abandoning the Six General position she had worked so hard to achieve and joined our side. She's already crossed every line. Therefore, Lia must achieve meaningful results in every operation. Because this is the last thing she can do."
The regressor seemed to finally understand a little, looking at Historia again with newfound eyes.
"Ah. So that's why. I had a feeling."
'Whether we lose the war and the Divine Kingdom is established, or the Resistance succeeds in their uprising and a Republic is established, she always secures a position. So securing a position itself was her goal all along... Good. I can use this in the next loop.'
"Shut up! You're the one who better not ruin things with half-hearted resolve! If things go wrong, just watch. I'll grab Huey and Siati and run away at full speed!"
Sorry for exposing your inner thoughts, Historia. But if I didn't say meaningful dialogue, 'Carapald' wouldn't wait for me. I had no choice.
By the way, this red handle isn't it either. What exactly is the annihilation device? Could it be this? Let me take one more step to the side...
'...This flow, it's dangerous. This stage right now, this dialogue. And even what he's standing on right now. What he's after is—!'
Bingo. So this was it.
I smiled and stomped my foot hard. Then a square panel opened, and from inside, an unnaturally large gear slowly rose. It was quite large, looking like a rudder steering a giant ship.
True, something as vicious as an annihilation device shouldn't be in a position where it could be touched by accident.
"In the end, whether it's Shei or Lia. Neither of you is in the wrong. Things haven't gone so wrong that you need to agonize and feel responsible. But how could you not feel responsible? No matter if they're criminals, so many lives are at stake."
"You're right. We don't need to fight."
'Tch. I ended up getting help again. I don't know why, but having that guy around is convenient. The General Commander issue, the Tirkanjaka issue. I should bring him along in the next loop too.'
The regressor seemed to think I came to mediate their fight. I'm sorry, but that was only half right.
I didn't come to stop your fight.
"But come to think of it, isn't it a bit unfair? The Military Nation is the one who built a device to kill all the humans in the refinery. Why should we be the ones agonizing over it?"
Having said that much, I grabbed the cogs of the gear with both hands. I felt a heavy sensation as if it were part of this massive factory.
The gear, the device, and what I had said.
The regressor intuitively realized what I was trying to do and shouted.
"Wait! You, don't tell me—!"
"Creating an extreme situation under the guise of a dilemma and forcing a judgment. That's a bit arrogant, isn't it? What the Military Nation created is the environment, and when we do something it's a dilemma? What a joke! Isn't the Military Nation a nation of humans? Even if it's a nation, it's the same!"
The last words became a passionate shout. I squeezed out every ounce of strength I had and turned the gear with all my might. The device that had never been used even once since its creation slowly moved.
The device bearing the name of the annihilation device, the device that would lead all the laborers of this refinery to death.
"Whether to spare vicious criminals for the sake of war, or to righteously execute them! Military Nation, it's time for you to agonize!"
Somewhere in the refinery.
A laborer walking with a hook pierced through him heard a loud clanking sound. He raised his head weakly.
He was exhausted, having just finished the task assigned to him. The chain moving along the rail should now guide him to the rest room. There, he would enjoy sweet rest until his magical power recovered.
However, for some reason, the chain was now leading him not to the rest room but to some unfamiliar place.
At first, he couldn't understand what was happening. After confirming dozens of times that the rail was moving in a different direction than usual, he was certain.
Something was different from usual. The sense of incongruity that would feel ominous to an ordinary person was hope to him.
From the top of a mountain, no matter which direction you walk, it's downhill.
Likewise, the daily life in the Refinery of Alchemical Steel is the most horrific in the world. So, escaping from this daily life would mean things would get better, wouldn't it?
Could there have been some error? Earlier, unfamiliar people had entered this place—did they touch something wrong? Would the overseers come running and take him away again?
Fearing that this hard-won peace might disappear, he desperately hid any sign of joy and feigned nonchalance as he followed the chain's guidance.
But he didn't know.
The place the chain was dragging him to was... the blast furnace that melted alchemical steel. The center of an inferno where magical flames melted steel.
To use magical power, a living human is needed.
In other words, if you use a living human, you can obtain magical power.
Steel made by melting humans will surely produce a more beautiful sound than ordinary steel.